Trolley-catcher



(No Model.)

T .HOLAHAN. TROLLEY OATGHER,

Patented Mar. 2,1897.

PATENT OFFIGE.

THOMAS HOLAHAN, 'OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

TROLLEY-CATCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,921, dated March 2, 1897. Application filed July 11, 1896. Serial No. 598 ,889. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HOLAHAN, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trolley-Catchers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to a device for antomatically drawing down the trolley-arm in case the trolley disconnects from the conducting-wire, thereby preventing it from striking the casing, showing one of the spring cases and rollers for winding the metallic straps. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the air-cylinder.

A indicates the trolley-arm.

B is a case or boxing for containing the operating parts. This case is attached at any suitable place on the end of the car to operate with the trolley-cord.

G is an air-cylinder fixed in the bottom of the case, its bottom being closed and its top open and made flaring to receive the piston.

D is a slide moving up and down in ways a a of the case. To this slide is attached a rod 1), having at its lower endapiston E, which enters the cylinder 0 when forced down.

F F are two thin metallic winding-straps similar to those used in spring sash-balances, one end of each being attached to the slide D, the other end passing through the side of the casing and winding on a spring-actuated roller 0, whose tendency is always to draw the slide down. A single strap instead of two may be used, if desired.

d is a spring-hook attached inside the easing at the top, and f a reverse hook attached to the slide D, which two hooks engage to gether when the slide is raised. When the hooks are disengaged, the slide is drawn downward by the winding-straps and the piston E then enters the air-cylinder0and compresses the air therein. The air under compression escapes through a small orifice g in the cap h of the cylinder. This orifice is covered more or less by screwing the cap it up or down, by which means the escape of air is grad ed to the work to be done.

G is the ordinary cord by which the trolley is operated. H and I are two other cords, one being attached to the slide D and extending up through a bushing in the top of the case, the other being attached to a pivoted latch 7a, which bears against a stem lot the springhook d. The upper ends of these two cords are attached to a snap-hook m, which in turn is hooked into a ring hung to the trolley-cord. By this means the cords can be disconnected to swing the arm around to the opposite end of the car. One of these attachments is used at each end of the car, and there is no difliculty in connection and disconnection of the parts.

In use the slide D is drawn up to the top of the case B, when the two hooks engage and hold the slide elevated. The cords are then connected with the trolley-cord. If the trolley-arm becomes disconnected from the conducting-wire and springs upward, it draws on cord I, raises the latch 70, draws the springhook 01 back, and disengages the two hooks. The winding-straps F F draw the slide down, also the cord H and the trolley-arm, so that the trolley is drawn back below the main wire. When the slide approaches the bottom, the piston E enters the open-ended air-cylinder O and compresses the air therein, which gradually escapes through the hole 9 and eases the shock. The compressed air forms an air spring and cushion at the end of' the stroke. At the beginning of the stroke the movement is quick to draw the trolley down before it can strike any obstruction. By the use of this apparatus the action is automatic and requires no attention of the conductor.

The trolley-arm is constructed with an outer short section A, which is hinged at p to the main arm A, by which it can turn upward independent of the arm. A spring r, connected with the two parts, tends to turn it upward. In case the trolleyis detached from the wire this short section is drawn up before the main arm is. The cord H is somewhat slack and the cord I straight, which enables this to be done. By drawing up the section in advance the apparatus is quicker in operation than if the whole arm is drawn up, and the arm is drawn back quicker below the wire, thereby freeing it before it can come in contact with any obstruction.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a trolley-catcher, the combination of an open-ended air-cylinder provided with a discharge-orifice; a slide movable forward and back; a piston attached to the slide adapted to enter the open end of the cylinder; a connection attached to the slide; a spring-roller on which the connection winds; a spring-hook at the top of the casing and a corresponding hook on the slide, which two hooks en gage together when the slide is raised; a latch for operating the spring-hook; a cord trolley down, and the other with a disengaging device that operates the locking devices of the winding apparatus, as herein shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS HOLAIIAN.

WVitnesses:

R. F. OSGOOD, F. B. HUTCHINSON. 

